The Light of Christ

By: Rick Hernandez

​My favorite part of Christmas has always been the abundance of light. In many countries, Christmas is called the Season of Light. Twinkling lights adorn the streets and homes. Candles are lit and placed on window sills. Our Advent wreath candles are present, partially consumed from our period of expectant waiting for Christmas day, and the Christmas trees are lit up!
 
Light calls out to light, as love calls out to love, and presence seeks out presence. By focusing on light, we walk away from darkness. Light rescues us from the limitations of the night, and we are liberated from the oppression of the dark. Light represents our Lord and Savior, so when I see all the beautifully colored lights during the Christmas season, I think of Christ. Our Lord is the new dawn, the light of our salvation.

“You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:76-79)

Who among us does not rejoice in the beauty of the sun rising?

“Light dawns for the just; and gladness, for the upright of heart. Be glad in the LORD, you just, and give thanks to his holy name.” (Psalm 97:11-12)

Our Lord became man by the power of the Holy Spirit and through the fiat of our Blessed Mother Mary for our good, enacting the plan for our salvation, redemption, and restoration, that we may become one again with Him who loves us. The light of the Star of Bethlehem transited the sky to join the light of Christ. Just as light envelops everything that it touches, our Lord Jesus envelops us if we open our hearts and minds to His love and mercy... We accept Him as our Lord and Savior,  acknowledge Him as the King of All Glory, and bask in His light.
 
We have Christ-Eucharistic present with us at every tabernacle of the world and at every altar during Mass. His light is present to shine upon us, but also somewhat veiled, so that we may search for Him and intentionally come to find Him.

“Our Lord veils Himself for our good and our advantage, to force us to study His soul, His intentions, and His virtues in Himself. If we saw Him, we would be satisfied to admire His appearance; we would have for Him only sentimental love; our Lord wants us to love Him with a love of sacrifice. It is hard for our Lord thus to veil Himself. He would prefer to show His divine countenance, which drew so many hearts to Him in His mortal life, but He veils it for our good. Our mind is thus forced to study the Eucharist; our faith is spurred on; we acquire a deeper understanding of Our Lord. Instead of showing Himself to our eyes, He shows Himself to our soul. Through His own light, He notifies us of His presence in us. He is both the light and the object we must contemplate in that light; He is the object and the means of our faith. The clearness of one’s insight into the Eucharist is proportioned to one’s greater or lesser love and purity of life. Our Lord said so: ‘He that loves Me, shall be loved of My Father: and I will love him, and manifest myself to him.’ Our Lord gives to souls of prayer a deep understanding of Himself; He never deceives them. He varies His grace of light. He directs it now to one point of His life, now to another. And since the Eucharist is the glorification of all the mysteries, Jesus Christ becomes Himself the object of our meditation, no matter what its topic may be.” (Saint Peter Julian Eymard - The Real Presence)
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Let us invite Christ into our hearts and minds and celebrate the Christmas season well, in the fullness of Joy. Let us intentionally take time to meditate on the coming of Christ. Let us imagine Mother Mary and Saint Joseph, the first ones to see the light of Christ’s face. Let us find ourselves at that blessed moment. As we acknowledge and receive the grace from Jesus’s birth, let us keep our eyes focused on Christ’s light so that we may be guided, just like the Magi were, to understand the Real Presence of Our Lord among us. May we invite Christ to accompany us to our parties and celebrations. Let us ask Him to bless our presents and the feasts we share. Let us be Eucharistic and take Christ with us to the world!
 
May we also be able to find that quiet moment to go, prostrate ourselves and adore at the feet of Christ. May this Christmas season help us recognize He who loves us and that His light may shine upon us.
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Let us pray: Lord of Heaven, Lord of Light. You are the one and only Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten and not made, consubstantial with the Father; through You, all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, You came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit, You were incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man... Thank You, Lord, because, from the blessed day of your birth, you have guided us out of the darkness by Your light. Amen.

Rick Hernandez

Rick Hernandez is a common sense Catholic, Lay Associate of the Blessed Sacrament and a Director for Elisheba House. He lives in Trinity, Florida, with his wife Ivonne and their children. He also writes for the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament's Daily Eucharistic Reflections and for Catholicmom.com.